Alexi Lalas: U.S. Men's Team Forged New Identity Despite Gold Cup Loss
We saw that on Sunday when the U.S., missing a bunch of star players, lost to a more experienced Mexico team in the Gold Cup final. There are no moral victories. I don't care how inexperienced you are. I don't care how young you are.
Having said that, this Gold Cup run was valuable for United States manager Mauricio Pochettino, especially heading into the 2026 World Cup.
Players like Diego Luna, Malik Tillman, and Chris Richards used it to either establish (or re-establish) themselves going forward. I also think Pochettino will be a big winner coming out of this, because I think he has created a new identity for this team going forward.
So now for the players like Christian Pulisic that weren't here, when they come back, they have to live up to that. They have to adjust, not the other way around.
I don't like losing. And the U.S. lost to a better Mexico team. They couldn't get possession in huge swaths of the game. And there was a real, real problem up top. Patrick Agyemang started every single game at striker and got two goals at this tournament, but he didn't seize the moment when it counted.
And speaking of seizing the moment, with all the love and the praise that we have given to Luna – and he deserves it because I think he is a star in the making – you have to bring it when everybody is expecting you to bring it. He didn't bring it on Sunday. He disappeared.
If he is the player that we're making him out to be, and I do think he can be, he had better learn from this. Because you can't you-know-what the bed in these moments. Because that's not what stars do. So if you want to be a star, and you want all that attention, then you got to bring it on the big days. Who Stood Out? Who Didn't?
Tiillman was almost a known quantity coming into this tournament. We knew what he was, but he definitely stepped it up. And there is still a ceiling for how good he can be, so I don't think he's tapped out.
I think Sebastian Berhalter, along with Luna, are the big winners in terms of players that hadn't spent much time with the national team before. I can't fathom a situation where either of those two wouldn't be brought in for the next camp in September.
And what about the striker position? Mexico has somebody up top in Raul Jimenez that is going to take all of that pressure. He doesn't get enough credit for the skill that he has, the runs that he makes and the people that he draws, that opens up other space out there, and then ultimately scoring goals, which is what you have to do. He's rarely invisible in a game.
If Agyemang had been invisible during the game and then scored, fine, I'll take it because the goals are the most important thing. But we're not getting that. I don't know if he is ever going to be that.
We're less than a year away from the World Cup. We do not have a legitimate striker that we can count on, where the other team actually has to game plan for him, and that's a problem right now. Pochettino is going to have to figure that out. This Team Was Fun To Watch
I've said time and time again that sports are not a place for perspective. They are a place to be crazy and full of emotion and out of control when it comes to the things you're doing.
It was wonderful to see this team that was kind of thrown together, and I've called them misfits and a ragtag bunch, and they were – but it was fun to see them grow together, and in doing so, do what a lot of people have wanted, and that was to make us care.
And when they care, we care. And even though they lost the final, I have no doubt that these players cared. They cared from the moment the whistle blew in the first game to the moment the whistle blew to end this tournament for them. And that's what people want.
This year is going to go like that, and the World Cup is going to be here very soon. And that opportunity will be 100 times more than when it comes to the Gold Cup. It is going to be there for the players that get the incredible privilege to representing their country in a home World Cup. That is special. That is something that you will never forget.
But there is a responsibility, and at least this summer, it was fun to see these players live up to that responsibility and make people believe in this team again.
Alexi Lalas is a soccer analyst for FOX Sports and host of "Alexi Lalas' State of the Union Podcast." He represented the USMNT at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and had a nine-year professional career. In 2006, he became the president of the LA Galaxy and helped bring David Beckham to Major League Soccer.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Lucas Paqueta's two years in limbo: Missed Man City move, West Ham backing and a pastor's prayers
Lucas Paqueta did not wait to let his feelings be known after an independent commission found four alleged breaches of the English Football Association's betting rules could not be proven. 'The enemy will come against us one way, but they will flee seven ways,' read the first line of Paqueta's statement on Instagram, quoting a biblical passage from Deuteronomy 28:7. Advertisement Paqueta, who is in the United States on West Ham United's pre-season tour, was called by his legal team and informed of the verdict on July 25, so he has had plenty of time to prepare his response. You do not need to be a theologian to work out who he believes is the enemy. For Paqueta, 27, yesterday's news represented vindication. When news of the FA's investigation into Paqueta's alleged breaches broke in August 2023, West Ham's squad held a team meeting without then-manager David Moyes and his backroom staff. According to those with knowledge of the meeting, Paqueta was tearful and told his team-mates he was innocent and felt the FA was picking on him. Edson Alvarez was especially vocal, saying he would protect the Brazil international on the pitch if anyone tried to target him. Seven months later, in West Ham's 5-0 victory against Freiburg in the second leg of their round-of-16 Europa League tie, Paqueta ran to Alvarez to hug him after opening the scoring to show his appreciation. His close friend, Emerson Palmieri, an Italy international who was born in Brazil, was keen to arrange a night out to boost morale. In the event, it didn't happen — Paqueta was said to not want the attention — but it was indicative of the faith in their team-mate. An anxious two-year wait, which consisted of a hearing that lasted around 20 days, has led to the charges against Paqueta not being proven. He has, however, been charged with two counts of failing to comply with the FA's investigation. He was facing a lifetime ban if he had been found guilty of the most serious allegations but Paqueta can now continue his career unimpeded. Once the written reasons for the verdict are published in the coming weeks, the FA will have 14 days to lodge an appeal. Paqueta can also appeal the non-cooperation finding. Advertisement In a club statement released on Thursday, Karren Brady, West Ham's vice-chair, noted how the club had 'resolutely stood by him and supported him throughout the process'. 'Despite the incredible pressure on him, Lucas has performed week in and week out for the club, always giving everything', Brady added. In constructing this article, The Athletic has spoken to sources with knowledge of the last two years who were granted anonymity to protect relationships. This is the story of the case and Paqueta's difficult two years in limbo. In the summer of 2023, Paqueta was a footballer with the world at his feet. He was fresh from helping West Ham claim their first silverware in over four decades, having assisted Jarrod Bowen's winner in the Europa Conference League victory over Fiorentina. He was the team's creative hub, looking every inch the club record €60million (£52m; $69m) signing he had promised to be when he arrived from Lyon in August 2022. His future looked bright. An £85m ($107m) release clause was set to become active that June, with Manchester City favourites to secure his signature. West Ham rejected their opening offer of £70m, but the club's executives were anticipating a second bid. It never came. 'One day in August 2023, he's on the verge of a move to the reigning Premier League champions, who looked invincible. Then, the next day, he's being told he might never play football again,' Alastair Campbell, a partner at Level — the legal firm that represented Paqueta — and a member of his representation, told The Athletic. 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On May 23, 2024, the FA charged Paqueta with four separate counts of spot-fixing. Around 60 people placed bets on Paqueta to receive a yellow card in one or all of the aforementioned matches, with the stakes ranging from £7 to £400. The investigation into Paqueta's yellow cards centred on bets traced to accounts registered on Paqueta, an island off Rio de Janeiro where the midfielder — whose real name is Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima — grew up. Many of the bets under investigation are believed to have been made from new accounts. 'I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me,' said Paqueta in response to the charge in May. 'For nine months, I have cooperated with every step of their investigation and provided all the information I can. I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name.' Paqueta was interviewed in September 2023 and provided the FA with access to his phone the following month. 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'I visited Lucas in Brazil because what he is going through does a lot to a player,' Steidten told The Athletic. 'Especially when you hear the kind of punishments he could face. This is his livelihood, his future. Lucas is Brazilian and, from my experience, they are very emotional people who need their family, their homeland, important things to take their mind off things. When I look at his performances, compared to before (the betting charges), it says it all. Although there was uncertainty surrounding Paqueta's future, West Ham were reluctant to engage in talks with Flamengo, who tried to sign him last summer. He finished the 2023-24 season with eight goals and seven assists across 43 appearances and was still regarded as an important player. According to a senior West Ham source, the Brazilian club attempted to test West Ham's resolve but made an offer they regarded as 'laughable'. Flamengo also explored signing the midfielder on loan, but that approach rebuffed too. It has been a challenging time for Paqueta and his family. Throughout it, his West Ham team-mates and close friends have kept a close eye on his mood. 'We've tried to help him as best as we can,' ex-West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski told The Athletic after the 3-1 win against Ipswich Town in May. 'We don't know the full details of the case, but as you can imagine, he's going through a very difficult period. During this whole time, we've always been there for him. On and off the pitch, at the training ground, we've tried our best to keep him smiling and happy.' Hours after West Ham United's 3-1 loss against Manchester City in May 2024, a result that confirmed City's Premier League title win, Paqueta, his wife Duda Fournier, and two sons, Benicio and Filippo, flew to Brazil. When they had arrived, Paqueta contacted pastor Andre Fernandes to pray for him and his family. 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He was baptised in June, with friend and Flamengo forward Pedro Guilherme also in attendance. Campbell described Paqueta as 'extremely emotional and extremely grateful' when he was informed that he had been cleared on July 25. While saying that he could not offer details about what their legal argument had been, Campbell mentioned that their case 'was based on circumstantial evidence and a number of strands of circumstantial evidence. We take each of those strands and examine it and question it and present our side of the story on each of those strands.' His form has fluctuated in the last two years, but West Ham sources note how Paqueta has not missed a single day's training without permission. For a player who was seemingly on his way to Manchester City, it is fair to speculate whether such a move may materialise again or if that opportunity has now passed. The Brazilian has not given much thought to transfers. Paqueta's focus for the last two years has been to clear his name. 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Forbes
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MLS, Liga MX Should Model Leagues Cup After Baseball Spring Training
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Yahoo
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📝Juárez thrash Charlotte in Leagues Cup debut
Juárez thrashed Charlotte 4-1 in their debut in this edition of the Leagues Cup. The Bravos dominated much of the match and took the win with authority. Juárez surprised from the start with two goals from Madson, at minutes 7 and 21, to put the score 0-2 in their favor. Later, Idan Toklomati narrowed the gap before halftime and Moisés Mosquera extended the lead just before the break. At the start of the second half, the MLS team managed to score with a goal from Liel Abada in the 18th minute, but it wasn't enough. In the final stretch, the Mexican team rounded out the thrashing with a goal from Óscar Estupiñán in the 90th minute, sealing the final score. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
